'I owe EMRTS my life' says grandmother from Anglesey

A fall whilst ‘hanging the washing’ left Donna Constable fighting for her life, but thanks to the Wales Air Ambulance Charity and the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS), Donna has made a remarkable recovery.

On Mother’s Day in April 2022, Donna Constable from Anglesey had been enjoying the sunshine and some gardening but, unbeknown to her, life was about to change.

After putting some dinner on to cook, Donna walked down the 10 concrete steps to the bottom of her garden, where she began hanging the washing, but then everything went dark.

Donna, who had fallen over one of the steps, said: “One minute I was changing a bit of washing on the line and the next thing I remember is coming around and seeing my foot pointing up in the air.

“I remember seeing the bones sticking out and I put my hand down, which was when I could feel the blood and the bone.

“I went to sit up and I couldn't move.  My arm was concertinaed and I couldn't move it, and my glasses were broken all askew.”

Donna, in a panic, shouted for her husband, who was at the top of the garden.

She continued: “My husband took a while to hear me, but then he looked over the fence and saw that I was lying there. He came down the steps and saw all the blood and the bone of my foot, so he ran back up for his phone to call 999.

“All of a sudden, I just thought I'm going to die here.”

Donna cried out in pain, which drew the attention of her neighbours who, in a stroke of luck, were selling their house to two paramedics. She called those buyers who were thankfully local and able to come and help Donna.

Unaware of the severity of her injuries, one of the paramedics went to get equipment from their ambulance base and asked his manager to attend with him.

After taking one look at Donna, they identified that she required pre-hospital critical care - care only provided by the Wales Air Ambulance.

The Critical Care Hub, also known as ‘the desk’, is a vital part of the Wales Air Ambulance and EMRTS service. 24 hours a day, every 999 call is monitored by a critical care practitioner and allocator. Having received a call from the paramedics with the detail of Donna’s injuries, they dispatched a Wales Air Ambulance critical care team.

Wales Air Ambulance is on standby 24/7 to attend those suffering a life or limb-threatening injury  or illness.

As a pan-Wales service, the dedicated crews will travel the length and breadth of the country to deliver lifesaving care – as Donna’s story demonstrates.

Critical Care Consultant Mike Greenway and Critical Care Practitioners Oliver Ayles and Simon Cartwright were dispatched from the Charity’s base in Welshpool to Anglesey. Upon arrival, they could see that Donna had an open fracture to both her ankle and her wrist, both limb-threatening injuries.

Donna said: “The air ambulance landed. I remember them introducing themselves, ‘Hi Donna, we can see that you're in a lot of pain and we’ll try and sort that for you.’ They were so lovely.

“There was no pulse in my leg, and I was terrified I was going to lose it.”

The crew administered morphine, Fentanyl and some Entonox as pain relief, which enabled them to slowly manipulate her broken leg back into a straight and correct position, before being placed in a splint. Donna was also given medication to help stop any internal bleeding and antibiotics to help prevent any infection due to her having sustained an open fracture and wound.

The advanced critical care treatments Donna received in her back garden would usually only be available within a hospital emergency department setting. Thanks to the unique partnership between the Wales Air Ambulance Charity and EMRTS, Donna had access to pre-hospital at the scene of her accident, which ultimately saved her leg and her life.

As a consultant-led service, the advanced team on board Wales Air Ambulance vehicles can bypass local hospitals and take patients directly to specialist care, which can mean hours saved in receiving the appropriate treatment when compared to standard care.

Once stable, the team transferred Donna to the most appropriate hospital, the Major Trauma Centre at The Royal Stoke University Hospital.

Donna underwent surgery that night and required further surgery a day later. But despite Donna’s  severe injuries, she surprised herself by worrying about a bracelet she wore every day, not about the surgery itself.

The EMRTS consultants who work on board the Wales Air Ambulance Charity vehicles also work in hospitals across Wales.

Critical Care Consultant Dr Mike Greenway, who had treated Donna in her garden, also works at the Royal Stoke Hospital.

Much to Donna’s surprise, Mike visited her the next day to see how she was getting on, which left her feeling “very touched”.

After multiple surgeries and 17 days in hospital, Donna was allowed home to recover.

Reflecting on the Charity that saved her life, Donna said: “The Wales Air Ambulance means everything to me, I am certain that if they hadn't come out to me, I wouldn’t be here.

Donna hadn’t realised how advanced the Wales Air Ambulance is and never imagined that she would need their help. She continued: “I suppose you never think about the Wales Air Ambulance coming out to you, but they are there when you are in the most danger and can deliver treatments above standard care.

“They have qualified specialised teams that can give you the drugs and the treatments you need there on the ground. I can't fault the air ambulance and the help that they gave me and for getting me to Stoke - they saved my life.”

Donna went on to receive support from the Charity’s Aftercare Service and was introduced to Patient Liaison Nurse Hayley Whitehead-Wright, whose role is to support patients and their families after what is usually a life-altering and sudden traumatic event.

Like many, Donna was unaware that the Charity offered aftercare support for patients, but the support she has received has been invaluable.

She said: “Hayley, the patient liaison nurse, has been an absolute godsend. She has been so helpful, and she really cares. What people need to realise is when you’ve had your accident it doesn’t end there with the Wales Air Ambulance, they provide ongoing care for us. Hayley just went above and beyond what you’d expect, helping me to come to terms with what happened.”

Donna has gone on to join the Charity’s Patient Forum, a group which provides patients with the opportunity to meet others who have been in similar situations. Meeting quarterly, the forum gives patients the opportunity to offer their thoughts and feedback on the service.

A grateful Donna concluded: “I can’t emphasise how vital the Aftercare Service is, and to the medics who attended me. I owe them everything.  To me they are absolute saviours. No praise or money is enough to thank any of them.”

The Wales Air Ambulance Charity relies on public donations to raise the £11.2 million required every year to keep the helicopters in the air and rapid response vehicles on the road. The Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) supplies highly skilled NHS consultants and critical care practitioners who work on board the Charity’s vehicles.

Help to save more lives like Donna’s by donating today at www.walesairambulance.com.

Main picture: Donna and EMRTS patient liaison nurse Hayley Whitehead-Wright